Hello again.
Buckle up. This story is about what happens when sticking to the rules causes heartbreak and raises questions about our relationship with technology.
You might be a fan of the NFL, major league baseball or other mega sports, but when it comes to high school basketball there is for many families an emotional involvement that major league sports can not match.
It happened in the final seconds in the recent New Jersey basketball state semifinal elimination game between Manasquan and Camden high schools. The winner would advance to the state championship game. Camden led by one point (46-45) with only a half second left on the game clock. Then one of the Manasquan players took a shot. He scored. Then the game was over.
A video replay revealed that the Manasquan team did launch their winning shot a half second before the clock ran out. But the referees mistakenly ruled that the clock had run out before the ball left the Manasquan players hands.
All hell broke loose. Even the state’s Appeals Court got involved. The fallout continues. It is a story that illustrates our complex relationship to technology, our sense of justice (or injustice) and how we as a nation struggle to accept the rules when they don’t suit us.
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First, let’s set this up with an excerpt from the following video report by Channel 2, CBS News in New York.
Since that report aired, the New Jersey acting education commissioner refused a Manasquan school request to delay the state championship game pending further investigation of Manasquan’s ‘unfair’ loss. And the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA), which oversees scholastic sports, agreed that the referees made the wrong call. But they refused to change the score.
In a statement, the agency said it understands Manasquan’s frustration but “the rules are clear - once game official leave the ‘visual confines of the playing court,’ the game is concluded, and the score is official.” The agency does not use instant reply. (Associated Press)..
Also, a state appellate court declined to get involved.
Of course, referees and umpires make mistakes. Allegedly. Ever been to a baseball game? Or a McEnroe Tennis Match ?
Technology, in the form of NFL video replays, plus ‘Hawkeye’ electronic line calling in tennis, and high tech methods of judging in other sports are capable of getting it right.
(This type of technology also applies to some traffic light and speed cameras.)
That New Jersey basketball heartbreaker moment could have been avoided if the official local governing body had made it a policy that any game that ends so close to the final second be automatically reviewed on video. Instead, the rules in this case stated that once the referees leave the court there is no appeal. ‘Justice’ says that Manasquan High should have gone to the state championship final. ‘Rules’ say that Camden High must go.
Chances are that today, in light of the emotional upheaval from that New Jersey basketball result, a whole lot of sports organizations around the nation are taking an urgent look at their rule books. And their technology.
So what did happen at the state basketball final a few days later? Did you wish Camden would loose because they didn’t really earn the right to be there? Or did you hope Camden would win the state championship because they were in effect representing Manasquan High as well as themselves?
Here is the result…
Video Credit: New Jersey Sports Zone (edited for time and editorial)
Whatever might have been going on inside the heads of those Manasquan High players as they watched the team they had actually outscored a few days earlier win the glory of the championship, they showed up and they were gracious.
Stories like Manasquan High don’t get a lot of attention. Maybe they should.
UPDATE: A new petition has been posted on Change.org. It calls for mandatory video replays of New Jersey =high school basketball games. Here’s a quote from the petition’s sponsor:
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) currently does not allow video replay for games under its jurisdiction. This outdated rule can lead to unjust outcomes, as seen in this case. We are urging the NJSIAA to change their bylaws and allow video replay.
In today's world, where technology is so advanced and readily available, there is no reason not to use it for ensuring fairness in sports competitions. College, The National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), and even international soccer have all embraced technology as part of their officiating process. Change.org
What do you think? Please comment. Let your voice be heard. Chances are you have some thoughts the rest of us have not considered. For instance…
-Should the courts get involved in ‘restoring justice’ in the event of bad sports calls?
-Should the board of education have overruled the referees?
-In the age of generative AI, how far should we as a society go in turning our human judgments over to technology?
-What do you say to youngsters when they feel cheated out of something important, even when the rules have been followed?
-In this emotionally fraught election year in which the large sections of the public seem to believe that some basic rules of American democracy, and the electoral system itself, are unfair or unjust, what are your thoughts on where the country is heading in its ability to accept loss and move on?
Please let me know about any topics you would like to see on this Substack. My feeling is that we are sort of in this together. It will work best when you are getting content of interest.
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Mike (profile)
Please help me grow my Substack